The LGBTQ Experience in Public Relations: Stories that Shaped Our Profession, Our Values and Our Future 

The industry's first-ever event to celebrate our field's thriving LGBTQ community was held Thursday, June 6, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

Some of the top leaders in public relations shared previously untold personal stories of how the Gay Rights movement has benefitted their lives and of their colleagues — most notably, in legalizing same-sex marriage — and also how far we have to go. 

While our panelists represented a wide range of generations, ethnic backgrounds and geographies, the personal challenges they faced as LGBTQ professionals were strikingly similar.  And despite the field's drive toward greater diversity, they found that bias still exists. 

Keynote: Scott Widmeyer, Chief Strategy Officer, Finn Partners

Panel I: Where we've been 

  • Chiqui Cartagena, author, former senior vice president, Political and Advocacy, Univision

  • Del Galloway (host and master of ceremonies), vice president, Communications, Wells Fargo

  • Cathy Renna, managing partner, Target Cue

  • Bob Witeck, founder and president, Witeck Communications 

Panel II: Where we're going 

  • Troy Blackwell, director, PRSA-NY Big Apple Awards

  • Dr. Erica Ciszek, assistant professor, University of Texas - Austin

  • Jim Joseph, global president, Burson Cohn & Wolfe 

  • Drew McCaskill, senior vice president, Global Communications, Nielsen 

  • Dr. Brenda Wrigley, associate professor, Curry College and Emerson College

The event was live streamed on our Facebook page.

The event, “The LGBTQ Experience in Public Relations: Stories that Shaped Our Profession, Our Values and Our Future” was sponsored in part by Wells Fargo, Ketchum, Black Public Relations Society–New York, Finn Partners, Page, Burson Cohn & Wolfe and CommPro.biz.